Individual cycling tours

Gauja (LV) and Sooma (EE) national parks and Estonian islands Saaremaa and Hiiumaa

available luggage transfer

Latvia, Estonia (15 days)

This tour connects the two beautiful Baltic capitals of Latvia and Estonia. In between, the route passes through beautiful nature reserves like Gauja and Sooma National parks, charming provincial towns, traditional villages, sandy beaches, two islands and many historic sites. Highlights include: Old Town and Art Nouveau district of Riga, Old Town of Tallinn, Turaida Castle Reserve, the picturesque River Gauja Valley, the wilderness trip in a peat-bog and canoeing in Sooma National park, Saaremaa island with wind mills, medieval churches, Kaali meteorite crater, Bishop’s Castle at Kuressaare and ethnographic fishermen village Koguva at Muhu island. It is possible also to go one day to the Hiiumaa island or Panga cliffs in Saaremaa. From Kuressaare you take the public bus to Tallinn.

General information:

Route: Rīga – Sigulda – Limbaži – Salacgrīva – Pärnu – Tori – Liu - Varbla - Koguva – Leisi - Kuressaare - Tallinn
Individual
Recommended season: May - September
Tour length: 15 days
Total distance: ~619 km
Daily cycling distances: ~45-80 km
Road cover: asphalt (95%) and gravel road (5%)
The level of difficulty: Medium

1st day / Arrival to Rīga

Arrival.
Optional: Transfer to the hotel.
Receive from the hotel reception the tour information pack with maps and detailed description of the routes, sites and overnight places.

Free time in Riga. Sightseeing of the Hanseatic Old Town, the Art Nouveau district, the Pārdaugava district and the Ethnographic open-air museum is recommendable.

Overnight in Riga.

2nd day / Rīga - Sigulda - Turaida - Ragana - Surroundings of Igate

Breakfast.
In the morning pick up the bicycles in hotel.
Cycle: hotel – train station (~0.5 hour)

Take the train: Rīga – Sigulda (55 km, ~1,55 LVL per person, ~0.80 LVL per bicycle, ~1,14 hour)
Cycling: Sigulda – Turaida – Ragana – Igate – Surroundings of Igate (~45 km, 99% asphalt).
The route leads through the Gauja national park which is located on both sides of the ancient river valley of the Gauja river. Sandstone cliffs and caves, hilly landscapes and deep forests and castles are characteristic for the park. Visit the Turaida castle complex en route where there is a museum, castle tower with observation platform and a sculpture park.
Optional: dinner.

Overnight in the surroundings of Igate (shared bathroom).

3rd day / Surroundings of Igate - Limbaži - Salacgrīva

Breakfast.
Cycling: Surroundings of Igate – Limbaži – Salacgrīva (~63 km, 80% asphalt).
The road goes through the Limbaži, which is a typical Latvian provincial town. Further you will go towards the Baltic Sea cost to Salacgriva town, which is famous for its fishing traditions. Here you will cross the river Salaca, which flows into the Baltic Sea in Salacgriva town.
Optional: dinner.

Overnight in Salacgrīva.

4th day / Salacgrīva – Ainaži – Häädemeeste – Võiste

Breakfast.
Cycling: Salacgrīva - Ainaži - Häädemeeste - Võiste (61 km, 99% Asphalt)
The road leads along the Baltic Sea coast. Outside Salacgrīva town, on the left side of the road, the seacoast meadows and lagoons, overgrown with reed, are a favourite rest stop for migratory birds. Tourist information and nature trail. The seacoast here belongs to the North Vidzeme biosphere reserve. After crossing the Latvian-Estonian border point, the road winds through old coastal villages - Ikla, Treimani, Kabli, Häädemeeste, and join the Via Baltica road at Rannametsa. There is a signpost to Rannametsa-Tolkuse bog nature trail (Rannametsa - Tolkuse Õpperada). It is worth climbing up the viewing tower to enjoy the view over the bog from the highest spot of the Rannametsa dunes.
Optional: dinner.

Overnight in Võiste.

5th day / Võiste - Pärnu - Surroundings of Tori

Breakfast.
Cycling: Võiste – Pärnu (~30 km, 99% asphalt).
Sightseeing of the Pärnu town – the most popular spa resort of Estonia. The Old town, the Ruutli pedestrian street, the old fortifications.
Cycling: Pärnu – Surroundings of Tori (~24 km, 100 % Asphalt)
Optional: dinner.

Overnight in the surroundings of Tori.

6th day / Wilderness Daytrip in Sooma National Park

Breakfast.
At about 09:00 am private transfer to the Sooma National Park.
Guided walking in the forests and bog-shoeing on the peatbog (3 hours, ~4 km). Lunch in the wilderness.
Guided canoeing on the river (2 hours, ~7 km). In this trip you will also hear a lot of natural and cultural heritage of Sooma from the guide.
Transfer back to the guesthouse.
Optional: dinner.

Overnight in the surroundings of Tori.

7th day /Surroundings of Tori – Surroundings of Liu

Breakfast.
Cycling: Surroundings of Tori – Surroundings of Liu (~55 km, 100% Asphalt) (~41 km, 98% Asphalt)
The route will go back to Pärnu and then through Audru village, where is a church build in 1680, and a dendro park around the manor complex. Further you will go through Lindi towards Pootsi to the nice guesthouse.
Optional: dinner.

Overnight in surroundings of Liu.

8th day / Surroundings of Liu - Surroundings of Varbla

Breakfast.
Cycling: Surroundings of Liu – Surroundings of Varbla (~41 km, 98% Asphalt)
On the route you will see the small coastal villages - Pootsi with the 19th centurie's Manor, Tostamaa and Kastna village where is located the Sooni Church and the biggest oak-tree in the region. Further you will reach the ancient village Varbla – where is the memorial stone to the wrestling hero Kristjan Palusalu.
Optional: dinner.

Overnight in surroundings of Varbla.

9th day / Surroundings of Varbla - Virtsu - Koguva (Muhu island)

Breakfast.
Cycling: Surroundings of Varbla – Virtsu (~40 km, 98% Asphalt)
On this route you can see the Varbla church and Illuste Manor House, before you reach the Virtsu port.
Take the ferry: at 14:00, Virtsu – Kuivastu (2,24 EUR per person + 0,96 EUR per bicycle, 0.5 h)
Cycling: Kuivastu - Hellamaa – Nõmmülla - Piin - Koguva (Muhu island) (~41 km, 70% Asphalt)
The route leads through the small island Muhu where the landscapes with juniper fields are typical to the ethnographic fishermens’ village Koguva. Before Nõmmaküla there is a unique nature attraction - Üügu pank (signposted) - an impressive dolomite steep bank.
Optional: dinner.

Overnight in Koguva.

10th day / Koguva - Orisaare- Jaani - Meiuste

Breakfast.
Cycling: Koguva – Orissaare – Jaani – Meiuste (~55 km, 58% Asphalt)
A visit of the Koguva - ethnographic fishermens’ village and then crossing the 3 km long sea dam to reach the Saaremaa island. The ruins of Maasi Order Castle are worth seeing, which are located near Orissaare. Further you will go through Leisi village, where are several beautiful stone buildings, shops and bar. Also you will see some other nice small fishermen's villages along the sea cost.
Optional: dinner.

Overnight in Meiuste.

11th day / Day trip to Hiiumaa island OR Day trip to Panga cliffs

Breakfast.

Option A: Cycling - Day trip to Hiiumaa island
Cycling: Meiuste – Triigi (9 km)
Ferry: Triigi - Sõru (Price 2,24 EUR per person + 0,96 EUR per bicycle, 1 hour)
Cycling: Sõru – Jausa – Orjaku – Kassari – Käina – Sõru (~63 km, 100% asphalt)
Ferry: Sõru - Triigi
Cycling: Triigi – Meiuste (9 km)

Option B: Cycling - Day trip to Panga cliffs (~ 45 km, 98 % gravel road)
Optional: dinner.

Overnight in Meiuste.

12th day /Meiuste – Leisi - Angla – Viira - Kaali - Kuressaare

Breakfast.
Cycling: Meiuste – Leisi - Angla – Viira - Kaali - Kuressaare (~57 km, 97 % Asphalt)
In this day you will see two of the most famous sights in Saaremaa – the Angla windmills and Kaali meteorite crater, which is one of the biggest in Europe. The route will end in Kuressaare – the capital of Saaremaa. We recommend to visit the Bishop's castle with the museum.

Overnight in Kuressaare.

13th day /Kuressaare - Tallinn

Breakfast.
Take a bus: Kuressaare - Tallinn (~216 km, 97 % Asphalt)
(Price 2011: 14,50 EUR per person, 7,25 EUR per bicycle)
Free time to explore Tallinn.

Overnight in Tallinn.

14th day /Tallinn OR Naissaar Island OR Keila waterfall

Breakfast.
Free time in Tallinn or other 2 options:
Option A:
Take the one-day cruise to Naissaar Island (11 km long, 4 km wide) and explore the island by bicycle!
Ferry: Tallinn Old town to island (1h, price 25 – 40 EUR/ return trip).
Naissaar literally means “women's island”, former Soviet military base, nowadays it is a nature reserve. Naissaar island – it is nature, beaches, military history, mine factory, narrow-gauge railway and lighthouses. There are 3 cycling routes (Military, Northern and Southern) through the island.
Option B:
Cycling to Keila waterfall, Turisalu cliffs and Paldiski – former base of Soviet submarines.
Cycling: Tallinn - Tabasalu - Muraste - Turisalu - Keila-Joa - Paldiski (~67 km, 100% Asphalt)
Take the train: Paldiski - Tallinn (45 km, 1,10 h)

Overnight in Tallinn.

15th day

Breakfast.
Optional: transfer from hotel to the Tallinn airport.
Departure.

Package price vo 650.00 EUR*

*Minimum number of persons - 2.
* The tour can be started Wednesday, Friday or Sunday!
*A price of the tour can change in case the planned guest houses/hotels are fully booked and we have to choose other accommodation sites.
*Prices may change due to changes in national tax legislation or other independent reasons.

Services included in the package price:

14 overnights with breakfast in hotels or guest houses (DBL or TWIN with WC, shower), exept of Day 1 in Igate, day 9 in Koguva, day 10 and 11 in Meiuste)
A day-trip to Sooma National Park (incl. lunch, transfer and guide)
Maps and detailed description of itinerary

Extra costs not included in the package price:

Single supplement per person: from 230.00 EUR
Hired bicycles with bags (13 days), including delivery: 170.00 EUR per person
Individual transfer from airport - hotel in Riga: EUR 15.00 (1-3 pers./one way)
Luggage transfer from accommodation to accommotdation (except during the ferry transfer, public bus, there clients take care for the luggage and pay for it on spot): from 605.00 EUR (1-4 pers.)
Helmets on request, 2 EUR per day/person
10x dinner on the country side (days 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11): from 140.00 EUR per person
additional night at hotel in Rīga: from 60.00 EUR (DBL/ night)
additional night at hotel in Tallinn: from 75.00 EUR (DBL/ night)
Train, bus and ferry tickets and entrance tickets
Extra meals/ lunch boxes

Booking form

Information & booking - tel: +371 67617600, e-mail: lauku@celotajs.lv